About Ron May

Dr Ron May, Emeritus Fellow, Australian National University, attached to the State, Society and Governance in Melanesia Program. Formerly senior economist with the Reserve Bank, field director of the ANU's New Guinea Research Unit and foundation director of what is now the National Research Institute of Papua New Guinea. Dr May has worked in Papua New Guinea (with a particular interest in East Sepik) continuously since 1969 and published extensively (mostly on politics, but also Kaikai Aniani. He is the author of A Guide to the Bush Foods, Markets and Culinary Arts of Papua New Guinea (1984)).

Although the Sepik District became increasingly important as a source of labour – with a corresponding increase in the activities of labour recruiters in uncontrolled areas – no steps were taken before 1918 to extend government control. In that year two German labour recruiters were killed by … [Read more...]